2-25 Veteran of the Week
Michael Murphy (Contributed)
By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer
MADISON – Mike Murphy comes from a lineage where military service was more or less the norm. Both his father and mother served in World War II, and his grandfather served in World War I.
Immediately after graduating from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Murphy became a commissioned lieutenant in the U.S. Army and was sent to Fort Eustis, Va.
“When I joined the Army, our country still was still involved in Vietnam,” Murphy, who graduated high school in 1971 and college in 1975, said. “In college, I had the opportunity to get involved with ROTC.”
After his time in Fort Eustis, Murphy made it to the state of Alabama by way of Fort Rucker, in the southeast corner of the state, for flight training. He also underwent maintenance test pilot school at Fort Rucker.
In 1977, Murphy had his first assignment in Korea. Other tours overseas included stints in Germany and Haiti, where he was a contracting officer for Operation Uphold Democracy in 1994.
Stateside, Murphy served in Fort Campbell, Ky., the Pentagon and also spent a year in Connecticut with the Black Hawk manufacturing plant before retiring in 1999 as a lieutenant colonel out of Redstone Arsenal.
Murphy said although he didn’t think he would be employed in sales, his 23 years’ experience as an Army aviator helped him get to know the product he sells well.
“This is probably the best job I have ever had,” Murphy said. “I work with some really great people. I get to travel all around the world and the product literally sells itself.”
Murphy is employed by LMI Consulting, Inc., formerly Belzon, Inc. He works on Research Park in the Utility Helicopters Project Office, International Programs Directorate.
Murphy met his wife, Valinda, while they were both serving as Army lieutenants. They have six children, all grown, and four grandchildren.
If you or anyone you know would like to be featured as our Veteran of the Week, please feel free to contact The Madison Record at 256-772-6677.
